The deepening climate crisis has directly or indirectly impacted the global economy in various ways. A concept that has gained prominence in recent years within supply chain management is the “clean supply chain,” which aims to reduce the adverse effects of fossil fuel-based energy production and help organizations achieve their sustainability goals.
Clean Energy Concept
Energy, which we require in numerous aspects of our daily lives, is a substantial and indispensable resource. Experts have identified the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions stemming from human activities as the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, which leads to higher carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. These activities cause irreversible acceleration of the climate crisis. The environmental consequences of our energy consumption seriously threaten our future. As Professor of Physics and climate scientist Prof. Dr. Levent Kurnaz explains, our role in the climate crisis is akin to sitting in the driver’s seat of a runaway truck with its brakes cut and choosing to accelerate, rather than pulling the handbrake.
Clean energy refers to energy derived from environmentally friendly and low carbon emission sources. Unlike fossil fuels, clean energy sources have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions harmful to the atmosphere. Major sources of clean energy include solar energy, wind energy, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, and biomass energy. Clean energy sources are environmentally friendly compared to fossil energy. In other words, they contribute to “lifting our foot off the gas pedal” as the climate crisis deepens. As a result, as the climate crisis deepens, efforts are made to replace fossil energy with clean energy sources.
The Use of Clean Energy in the Supply Chain
The clean energy supply chain, a process designed to eventually break free from fossil fuel dependency and the environmental impacts of such consumption, involves producing energy from renewable and eco-friendly sources throughout the supply chain process. A suitable energy source is chosen to avoid traditional fossil fuel-based energy production. Major clean energy sources such as solar energy, wind energy, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy, and biomass energy are selected and applied to the supply chain process.
Strategic selection of which clean energy source to use is based on a comprehensive evaluation of advantages and disadvantages. Factors such as high initial investments and long-term planning may lead to the preference of one clean energy source over another. For instance, biomass energy is a sustainable and environmentally significant clean energy source that requires fewer capital investments and can offer new employment opportunities in rural areas. On the other hand, hydroelectric energy, despite being the most common clean energy source worldwide, can change local land use patterns, submerge terrestrial habitats, and impede fish migrations. It is evident that a comprehensive evaluation of advantages and disadvantages leads to the preference of one clean energy type over another, considering the operational qualities of the supply chain.
The necessary technological and technical infrastructure for the most efficient energy source usage is systematically prepared with care. For example, the installation of technical systems such as solar panels for solar energy, biomass feedstocks for biofuel energy, wind turbines for wind energy, geothermal or hydroelectric power plants is part of the preparation phase for the clean energy supply chain. Through these systems, energy can be transformed into resources such as electricity, heat, and fuel. The produced clean energy can be stored for later use. It is transmitted to end users via transmission lines and distribution networks, and it can be stored in special storage systems.
Benefits of a Clean Energy Supply Chain:
The production and usage of clean energy are complex processes throughout the supply chain. By using clean energy in various sectors such as homes, businesses, industrial facilities, and transportation, the clean supply chain aims to reduce environmental impact and carbon emissions as a sustainability strategy. Clean energy supply chains offer benefits such as enhanced energy efficiency and contributions to sustainability on multiple levels compared to fossil fuel-based energy systems. Nature-friendly clean energy provides employment during the energy production process, contributes to the development of developing countries, eases economic burdens on nations, and ultimately replaces foreign dependency with national development.
The clean energy supply chain, as part of the sustainability goal and principle, aims to evaluate the environmental impact of all activities carried out by supply chain actors. Especially, the reduction of CO2 and toxic gas emissions and chemical waste by businesses is their social responsibility towards society and the world. The clean energy supply chain should be adopted through organizational learning in internal communication, implemented as a managerial vision, and recognized as a contribution to global efforts. On the other hand, it should be promoted through state policies and supported by supply chain actors such as suppliers, logistics managers, consumers, as well as leading countries and global markets.
In conclusion, the clean supply chain is a renewable and sustainable process that aims to reduce the adverse effects of traditional fossil fuel energy production by transitioning to clean energy sources throughout the supply chain process. As the climate crisis escalates, the clean supply chain becomes increasingly important, offering a solution for organizations looking to reduce their environmental impact and carbon emissions while contributing to sustainability and global climate efforts.
Sources:
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KURNAZ, L. (2023). SON BUZUL ERİMEDEN: Şirketlerin Yeryüzüne Verdikleri Zararın Bir Bedeli Olsa,http://sonbuzulerimeden.blogspot.com/2023/09/sirketlerin-yeryuzune-verdikleri-zararn.html Access Date: 22. 09. 2023
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